Enrollment
582
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Madison, WI
Kennedy Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Kennedy Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550852000939
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kennedy Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #30 of 33
- schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.2:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 46.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Kennedy Elementary has class sizes larger than 82% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kennedy Elementary ranks #30 of 33 schools in Madison, WI.
School address
District: Madison Metropolitan School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550852000939 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.8%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kennedy Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kennedy Elementary
Kennedy Elementary is a large combined-grade school in Madison, Wisconsin, enrolling 582 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 46.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 582 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Among 243 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #186, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (41%) and White (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Madison's public schools, it stands alongside Cesar Chavez Elementary (631 students): Kennedy Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.2:1 vs 13.4:1).
Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students) and Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students) alongside Kennedy Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Kennedy Elementary compares
Kennedy Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.2:1 | ▲ 12% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.8% | ▲ 22% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 582 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
582
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 12% above state mean
Top 82% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
39.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$17,181
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
14
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 40.9%
White 29.9%
Two or More 11.3%
Hispanic or Latino 10.7%
Asian 7.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 40.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.4, Kennedy Elementary is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison Metropolitan School District, which includes Kennedy Elementary.
$17,181
Per student
+15%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.6%
State 18.4%
Federal 9.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Kennedy Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Vel Phillips Memorial High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lafollette High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hamilton Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kennedy Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,222
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,004
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,643
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,541
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Madison
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cesar Chavez Elementary
Standard public school
631 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Leopold Elementary
Standard public school
626 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
4k Pk Off Site
Standard public school
619 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Dr Virginia Henderson Elementary School
Standard public school
462 students 10.5:1 students per teacher
Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School
Standard public school
455 students 13:1 students per teacher
Stephens Elementary
Standard public school
447 students 10.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Wisconsin, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~582 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kennedy Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Kennedy Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Madison Metropolitan School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Kennedy Elementary
How many students attend Kennedy Elementary?
Kennedy Elementary has 582 students enrolled. It is a public school in Madison, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kennedy Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Kennedy Elementary is 16.2:1, which is 12% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Kennedy Elementary?
46.8% of students at Kennedy Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kennedy Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Kennedy Elementary is African American at 40.9% of enrollment, in Madison, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kennedy Elementary?
Kennedy Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Kennedy Elementary rank among schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, Kennedy Elementary ranks #30 of 33 schools in Madison, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Madison on the city page.
Is Kennedy Elementary a good school?
Kennedy Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Madison Metropolitan School District?
Besides Kennedy Elementary, Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students), Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students), and East High (1,643 students). See the Madison Metropolitan School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.